Faith leaders across England in 'HIV healing' claims

Synagogue Church Of All Nations website shows videos of people it claims have been "cured"

Dangerous cases of faith leaders who tell people with HIV to stop taking their life-saving drugs have been identified by African-led community groups in a number of locations across England.

Seven groups said there were instances of people being told by faith leaders they had been "healed" through prayer - and then pressured to stop taking antiretroviral medication, according to the charity African Health Policy Network (AHPN).

Cases were reported to have taken place in Finsbury Park, Tottenham, and Woolwich, in London, as well as in Manchester, Leeds and at a number of churches across the North West.

Last year, BBC London identified three people with HIV who died after they stopped taking antiretroviral drugs on the advice of their Evangelical Christian pastors.

AHPN, which tackles health inequalities for Africans living in the UK, called on the government to do more to prevent faith leaders encouraging people with HIV to stop taking their drugs.

"The government, the department of health, and local authorities are not doing enough to respond to this," said Jacqueline Stevenson, AHPN's head of policy.

Multiple cases

A Department of Health spokesman said: "Prayer is not a substitute for HIV treatment and we would be very concerned if people are not taking their medication on the advice of faith leaders."

AHPN said the cases reported to it by community groups showed:

Most respondents were aware of more than one case of faith healing claims and pressure to stop taking medication. One member was aware of five cases

Many followers believed the testimony of pastors who claimed they could heal them

It goes on to show Ms Agnote apparently showing a more recent medical report, with a narrator saying, "it clearly states that Agnes tested negative to HIV Aids".

Videos on the website also depict people being cured of "cancers" and "disabilities".

'Anointing sticker' tour

The church's British website now gives accounts of people reporting to be healed from conditions including arthritis and a lung blood clot after being a sprayed with "anointing water" by SCOAN in the UK.

It promotes a monthly "anointing water prayer line" in London "for any health issues" and advertises an "anointing sticker" tour of the UK and Ireland, which begins on Monday.

Faith organisations can make a positive contribution to raising awareness of HIV highlighting the benefits of testing and effective antiretroviral treatmentDepartment of Health

Last year, when asked by the BBC if it claimed its pastors could cure HIV, SCOAN responded: "We are not the healer. God is the healer. Never a sickness God cannot heal. Never a disease God cannot cure."